The Best Campervan Kitchen Setup for Cooking on the Road

Designing a compact galley is about sequencing, not space. On most UK campervans you are cooking within a metre of the bed, so the trick is a layout where each job — boiling, chopping, washing up — flows without you reaching across the van. Think about what you cook most, then build the kitchen around that.

Choosing the right hob

Gas is the default for good reason: it is instant, hot and works anywhere. A two-burner hob runs on standard UK propane or butane bottles, and a 6kg bottle will comfortably last a two-week trip if you cook twice a day. Electric hobs are fine on campsite hook-up, but they are slow and nearly useless off-grid. Induction hobs need a reliable 230V supply, so check your inverter can handle the load — more on that in our off-grid power guide.

Making the worktop work

• Fit a chopping board that drops over the sink to double the prep area.
• Keep the kettle and a one-litre pan on the hob at all times to save space.
• Add a folding worktop extension for bigger jobs like batch cooking.
• Store crockery and pans in the drawer nearest the hob, not at ground level.

The fridge and cold storage

A 40–60 litre compressor fridge keeps cheese, milk and meat safe through a British summer. Absorption fridges are cheap but struggle when the van is tilted and eat battery off-grid. If your van has no fridge, a good cool box with frozen bottles plus a daily ice run works until you upgrade. Prices for a decent compressor fridge start around £300–£500, and they are one of the best-value upgrades you can buy.

Gas, water and drainage

Check the gas locker fits standard 6kg bottles, and carry a spare regulator. Fill fresh water from a mains tap before you set off, and never let the grey waste tank sit full — the smell quickly finds its way back inside. Most site taps are free, and motorhome service points are dotted across the country for rinsing tanks.

Cooking outside

A two-ring stove on the camping table keeps heat and smells out of the van. Grilling burgers under the awning is a UK campsite classic for a reason. If you would rather not cook in the van at all on wet evenings, many buyers prioritise a van with an outside kitchen point — browse campervans for sale to compare layouts.

The best kitchen is the one that gets used. If a gadget needs a separate drawer to store, it does not earn its place.